Screen 1 – Hashira Judgment (Dark Version)
The gates slam open.
Tanjiro, Sans, Papyrus, and Nezuko are shoved into the courtyard like prisoners awaiting execution.
Their injuries are still fresh.
Nezuko's box is cracked and stained with dried blood.
Tanjiro kneels with trembling legs but refuses to bow his head.
Nine Hashira ring them like executioners surrounding a gallows.
Their shadows stretch long across the stones.
Giyu stands behind them—silent, grave-faced.
Rengoku watches intensely, like he's analyzing flames.
Mitsuri's eyes go soft at Papyrus—but her hand is already on her sword.
Obanai stares at Sans with the cold scrutiny of a snake sizing up prey.
Muichiro is absent-minded, staring up at drifting clouds.
Tengen mutters, "unflashy skeletons," with a bored flick of his fans.
Gyomei's silent prayers echo like mourning bells.
Shinobu watches them with a gentle smile that feels like poison in the air.
And then—
Bootsteps cut the silence.
The Wind Hashira appears.
Sanemi Shinazugawa.
His presence alone feels like a blade at everyone's throat.
He looks at Tanjiro…
then at Nezuko…
then at Sans and Papyrus…
And his eyes fill with instant hatred.
"So this is the trash Giyu dragged in."
He points his Nichirin blade at Tanjiro's face.
"You dare bring a demon here.
And two… whatever they are."
Papyrus gasps loudly.
"WHATEVER WE ARE!? WE ARE HEROES!"
Sans mutters under his breath, voice flat and tired:
"He's hostile. Great."
Sanemi ignores them.
His focus is on one thing:
The demon girl.
He pushes Tanjiro aside like garbage.
"Let's test a theory."
Before anyone can react—
Sanemi cuts open his arm.
Blood runs down his skin in thick, dark streaks.
Tanjiro's heart stops.
"No— DON'T—!!"
Sanemi tears open Nezuko's box.
Nezuko crawls out slowly, dazed, bleeding, trembling…
yet still holding back the hunger burning inside her.
Sanemi shoves his bleeding arm toward her face.
"Come on, demon.
Show us what you really are."
Tanjiro screams, voice breaking:
"STOP IT!!"
Two things happen in the same heartbeat:
---
1. Papyrus moves first.
He steps between Nezuko and the blood, arms wide, cape fluttering like a shield.
"YOU WILL NOT HURT HER.
NOT WHILE I STILL STAND!"
For the first time, Papyrus's voice is not silly.
Not loud.
Not cheerful.
It's cold.
And full of conviction.
---
2. Sans raises one finger.
A tiny blue Gaster Blaster forms in his hand—
small, but the air bends around it.
His voice drops to a chilling monotone:
"Back.
Off."
Sanemi swings his sword at Sans in a rage—
—but the slash cuts nothing but air.
Sans is suddenly behind him.
The miniature Gaster Blaster fires.
A thin blue beam slices across Sanemi's hair—
scorching it.
Close enough to kill.
Yet deliberate enough to spare.
Sanemi freezes.
"…you little—what did you—?!"
Sans shrugs.
"If I wanted you dead, you'd already be bones."
Every Hashira reacts at once:
Rengoku: "Bold. Reckless. Interesting."
Mitsuri blushes at Papyrus's heroism.
Shinobu giggles, "Their magic is… delightful."
Tengen says, "That blast was painfully unflashy."
Gyomei murmurs, "Such dangerous spirits…"
Obanai grips his sword tighter.
Giyu growls quietly:
"Enough, Sanemi."
But Sanemi pushes forward anyway.
He reaches for Nezuko—
—and Nezuko does something none of them expect.
She turns her head.
Away from the blood.
Away from hunger.
Away from violence.
She fights her instincts…
and wins.
Her nails dig into her own palm as she resists.
Sanemi's eyes widen.
For the first time…
He hesitates.
Tanjiro trembles with relief.
Sans lowers his hand.
Papyrus lifts Nezuko's box reverently.
"SEE!? SHE IS PURE OF HEART!"
Sanemi snarls, torn between hatred and doubt.
Then—
A voice drifts through the courtyard.
Soft.
Calm.
Warm.
"Enough."
Every Hashira drops to their knees.
Even Sans straightens.
The Master has arrived.
---
Screen 2 – The Master Arrives (Dark Version)
Silence falls.
Two attendants carry Ubuyashiki Kagaya forward—
pale, frail, and blind…
Yet his presence feels heavier than every Hashira combined.
The courtyard… breathes differently around him.
The air itself softens.
Tanjiro kneels deeply.
Papyrus kneels dramatically.
Sans kneels with hands in pockets, but even he bows his skull out of respect.
Nezuko hides behind Tanjiro.
Kagaya smiles gently.
"Welcome… Tanjiro.
And welcome, travelers not of this world."
Papyrus waves timidly.
"HELLO MASTER SIR!"
Sans nods.
"Nice place."
The Hashira stare at them like they're impossible creatures that shouldn't exist.
---
Judgment Begins
Kagaya turns to Tanjiro first.
"You brought a demon here.
Yet she resists her cravings.
You faced a Lower Moon and survived.
You saved lives on Mount Natagumo."
Tanjiro bows so low his forehead scrapes the stones.
"Nezuko is my sister.
She will never harm a human."
Kagaya's voice softens.
"I believe you."
Sanemi's nostrils flare in anger.
---
Judgment of the Skeleton Brothers
Kagaya turns to Sans and Papyrus.
"You two…
bear power outside human understanding."
Sans shrugs.
"Guilty."
Papyrus stands tall.
"WE USE OUR POWER ONLY TO PROTECT!"
Kagaya nods.
"You defended Demon Slayers.
You shielded Nezuko.
And even when provoked…
you held back."
Sanemi twitches violently.
Shinobu's smile widens.
"Fascinating creatures… I want to dissect—
Ah. I mean study them."
Sans takes one step away from her.
"…no thanks, doc."
---
Nezuko's Final Test
Sanemi, still furious, stabs the ground again, splattering fresh blood at Nezuko's feet.
"Look at it!
Look at the blood, demon!"
Nezuko trembles…
fighting instincts twisting through her veins.
But she turns away.
Again.
Her claws pierce her own hands from the effort.
Kagaya's voice echoes like a peaceful judge:
"She chooses not to harm humans."
The Hashira murmur.
Even Sanemi has no words.
Giyu finishes it:
"Nezuko is innocent."
Papyrus lifts her box triumphantly.
"SHE PASSED THE TEST OF HONOR!"
Sans smirks lightly.
"Told you she was cool."
Tanjiro weeps silently.
---
The Verdict
Kagaya raises a frail hand—
yet the entire Corps obeys the gesture instantly.
"Tanjiro Kamado…
Nezuko Kamado…
Sans…
Papyrus…
You are hereby accepted into the Demon Slayer Corps."
The courtyard erupts:
Rengoku shouts joyfully.
Mitsuri squeals at Papyrus.
Tengen sighs about the 'unflashy skeletons.'
Obanai hisses, jealous.
Inosuke screams for a rematch.
Zenitsu cries harder than ever.
Sans scratches his skull.
"…welp. Guess we work here now."
Papyrus pumps a fist.
"THE HASHIRA HAVE ACCEPTED US!
WE SHALL BECOME LEGENDARY HEROES!"
Kagaya smiles warmly.
"May fate guide your blades."
The judgment is complete.